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Wang Guo’s wife was on her feet and marching towards the door when she heard the familiar sound of her husband’s car pulling into the driveway.
If she had what was considered a ‘normal’ upbringing she would be rolling her eyes at the sound of two males bickering.
The exact words were washed away by the steady stream of water falling from the heavens and bursting into smaller droplets when they hit the ground, cars, people and other surfaces.
Waiting for just another moment Madam Wang pulled front door open and secretly enjoyed how both men froze mid-argument, eyes darting over to her unamused face.
Her husband in particular looked funny with his hand in the air, key poised at just the right height to get inserted into the lock while the car key dangled in the air.
“Aren’t you going to come inside?”
Her words were met with a flurry of motions and more words.
Noticeably Liu Sang attempting to make use of the moment to escape the grip Wang Guo had on his arm while trying to excuse himself.
Her husband wasn’t a young police officer fresh from school however. And while life in their little rural town was usually a quiet one that didn’t mean he hadn’t had to deal with wiggly teenagers or rioting drunks regularly.
Not that Liu Sang was either. Or so she thought. Wang Guo hadn’t been able to find out much about Liu Sang after all, so his age was a mystery.
Stepping aside she let Wang Guo push Liu Sang inside their home first and watched them both carefully.
Neither moved in a way that indicated that either were hurt. Physically anyway.
Liu Sang just flipped wet hair out of his face and scowled fiercely at Wang Guo.
“I told you it was fine! I swear you are so stubborn you might as well be an old donkey!”
Of course Wang Guo reacted to being called old of all the things.
Madam Wang listened and watched them bicker for a bit longer.
Wang Guo’s and her union had been arranged with little say on their part and thus they ended up childless despite their many years spend as husband and wife.
Watching Wang Guo and Liu Sang now she wondered if that was what could have been.
Then she dismissed the thought. No child of hers would have turned out like that.
Crossing the arms in front of her chest Madam Wang cleared her throat.
“Towels are over there. Kindly use them.”
With those words Wang Guo’s wife left them to fend for themselves and headed towards the bathroom to prepare two fresh sets of clothing and making certain there was enough hot water.
Then she returned to the kitchen and mulled for a short moment over her dinner preparations. Luckily adjustments were easy to make as Wang Guo had informed her that he’d called in Liu Sang for help on a case and would bring him around for dinner at one point.
She just was pretty certain her husband hadn’t planned today to be that day.
While chopping vegetables the two men started up another squabble that actually had her shake her head.
Granted her husband had confessed on mistaking Liu Sang for a woman initially when he first spotted him – from behind – but this was getting ridiculous.
“Just go in together.” she called out to them without stopping the movement of her hands. “I already drew a bath for you, Wang Guo, and we have a working shower as well.”
In fact she’d prepared that bath at just the temperature she knew her husband liked best and added the subtle scent she knew he preferred.
There was some grumbling from Liu Sang as Wang Guo pushed him into the bath without a word but likely a smug smile of victory.
The dumplings were done by the time Liu Sang emerged. Awkwardly hovering in the doorway he seemed to struggle with how to approach her.
She remembered their last exchange and how she pretty much sent him off with a threat.
Well. The rules were the rules even if she had chosen to let them be just this once.
Looking over at Liu Sang and his blank face and the way to big clothes that made him seem very young Wang Guo’s wife supposed it was fine this time as well.
Or perhaps it was simply that Liu Sang was the exception to the rule. For now.
“Take a seat. I’ll soon be done.”
The youth nodded stiffly and moved to take the indicated seat while holding the sweatpants up. Just in case. She had given him the only pair Wang Guo owned with a drawstring after all.
“Tea?” she offered and Liu Sang nodded. “Yes. Please.”
The scene Wang Guo witnessed when he jointed his wife and guest in the kitchen made him smile wide.
For a moment he even imagined going over to kiss his wife’s cheek but he knew that he’d get the cold shoulder treatment if he dared to show even such small affection ‘in public’ aka with witnesses around.
The madam of the house had her own rules and was a strict sticker to them. She would not bend them at all for anyone, not even him despite their many years of marriage.
He took in the scene of his wife cooking and Liu Sang quietly sipping on a cup of tea for a few more moments before joining the domestic scene.
“Thank you, dear. That bath worked wonders on these old bones! I feel like reborn!” Wang Guo told his wife and enjoyed her slightly surprised then wary expression.
As expected she still hadn’t gotten used to him expressing his affection this way and could also sense what he would have liked to do if not for present company.
The way she arched one elegant eyebrow warned him to keep from doing so made him grin even wider.
Ever since the bloody rose case that involved Liu Sang and Wang Guo ending up in the hospital and his wife getting kidnapped – a scare he never wished to experience again – his wife and him had felt a lot closer.
As if some invisible barrier keeping them at a certain distance had fallen.
It took time to get used to that. They both weren’t the youngest anymore after all and old habits were hard to break.
As if to confirm Wang Guo’s thoughts she nodded towards the table. “Take a seat. I only need another minute.”
“Alright.” he agreed and peeked at the stove to see what his wife was cooking. The scent was divine.
He only caught a glimpse of Baozi before he was cased off.
Liu Sang’s expression was like a teen who’d just witnessed his parents sharing affection.
Only for a moment thought then he looked unimpressed and even drew an eyebrow at him.
The motion was so similar to what his wife had done that Wang Guo almost laughed out loud.
Liu Sang’s face scrunched up and he looked to the side with a scowl.
The urge to ruffle his hair was strong but Wang Guo resisted.
Even if the hair looked even more ruffle-able now, that it hung lose and brushed over Liu Sang’s shoulders. It had gotten even longer since they first met.
Deciding to distract himself before he did something that would get him on Liu Sang’s bad side – and perhaps even his wife’s – Wang Guo decided to set up the table for the three of them.
His wife had really gone all-out again and made buns both with vegetables and meat.
Liu Sang going mostly for the vegetarian options remembered Wang Guo of their first shared meal.
It made him pick a dumpling filled with vegetables next, something that got him looks of approval from both sides and made him feel a bit squeamish in his seat.
Yes, he was aware of his health especially with these two people in his life looking after him. But was it really his fault he loved meat so much when his wife was such a talented cook?
Liu Sang groaned and threw a hand over his face as Wang Guo opened his mouth to say as much.
Ah. Right.
His wife looked suspiciously between the two of them but Wang Guo only grinned and mouthed ‘teenagers’ at her.
That actually had her lips twitch up into a smile while Liu Sang had dropped his hand to glare at him. “I’m over twenty I’ll have you know.”
“Sure you are.” Wang Guo teased him which earned him the expected impressive eye roll.
Darting a glance back at his wife he could tell she was amused.
Perfect.
He had sensed some odd tension between the two of them but he’d be damned if he wouldn’t wear them both down enough to be comfortable around each other.
Even if that required them teaming up and turning against him.
“Don’t.”
Wang Guo gaped as both Liu Sang and his wife stopped him from talking the moment he opened his mouth.
What in the world?
He hadn’t meant for this to happen this fast!
Wang Guo huffed. “You don’t even know what I was going to say!”
The two people he shared the table with raised an eyebrow at him in challenge.
Oh drat. Who was he kidding?
If anyone knew what he had been about to say it were these two.
Damn it. They had outplayed him before he even got to do anything.
These two, he thought fondly.